Newcastle duo Simon Patel and Amarveer Ladhar were among five UK players who played for India and Pakistan in the 19th Asian Rugby Tournament in Hong Kong last week.

The Newcastle lads joined Ajay Subherwal, who plays for Leinster, in the India side, while Amraiz Ahmed from Leeds and Bradford-based Ikram Butt both played for Pakistan.

All five players are active members of Newcastle Falcons Academy and the South Asia Bulls and also of BARA - the British Asian Rugby Association - which aims to provide a platform for all British Asians interested in rugby, whether rugby league or rugby union, player or spectator.

The players attended a special training camp in Bombay and were in India for two weeks where they met their new team-mates and prepared for the tournament.

They were brought together by Novos player Sanjay Syal, who has already represented India six times.

Sanjay, 28, hopes they can act as role models for more Tyneside-based Asians to take up the sport.

He said: "I've been involved with the team for two years now and I never expected it to take off like this - it's just great to improve the links between the region and the Indian team.

"I can't say how happy I am to now have these players taking part. These lads can act as great role models for players with an Asian background and it will hopefully show people they could maybe have a future in international rugby."

Falcons Academy manager John Fletcher advised Ladhar, who plays for the Academy side, to make the trip. "He came to ask my advice and I'm of the view that if you get the chance to play international rugby and tour the world, go for it."

Also on the trip was Nasser Hussain, 24, a sports management student at Northumbria University, who is vice-captain of the Indian team, and there is very strong North-East link with Tynedale assistant coach Alan Gledson coaching the Indian team.

Welsh-born brothers Gareth and Benn Kerr, who have also played for the Falcons, were also selected because their grandfather, Frances Henry D'Souza, grew up in India.

Benn, 23, said: "Amarveer was contacted by Sanjay and told him about my brother. Then Sanjay rang him and we both were keen to go."

Ikram Butt, who donned the green jersey for Pakistan in the tournament, said: "This was the first time the Pakistan side had participated in an international tournament, and along with the Indian team doing well at the Games - in no small part thanks to the UK-based players - it's been an amazing experience for us."

Under the auspices of the BARA, Sanjay, Ikram and Jug Johal also delivered RFU-funded coaching courses for school teachers .

"One of the aims of the BARA is to provide positive role models for Asian youths through rugby, and it was great that we could help this along in Asia as well as over here," said Ikram.

BARA players have now been invited to participate in the All-India Games in Mumbai in September 2005 and the team will also spend a week in Pakistan playing against Islamabad and Lahore.

Anyone from the Asian community who is interested in taking up rugby should call Sanjay Syal on (07946) 764-673.